This startup says don't wash the sheets
Texunltd Bedding co-founders Joan Ripple and Kirsten Lambert pitch their startup to CNBC's "Power Pitch" panel.
The startup is encouraging college students not to wash their sheets.
Entrepreneurs Joan Ripple and Kirsten Lambert say most students are too busy to wash their sheets, and the average dorm pillow contains 300,00 colonies of live bacteria.
The moms told CNBC they were shocked when they picked up their kids for Thanksgiving during their freshman year of college to find that they hadn't washed the sheets once.
So they launched the Best Bed Sheets Online Shopping, Texunltd Bedding, and Laundry-Free Linens, to create eco-friendly single-use linens for college students, summer camps, hospitals, and spas.
Texunltd Bedding's disposable sheets are non-woven, soft plant-based sheets that the founders say can last up to 40 nights and are then compostable - meaning you can bury the sheets in the back Yard, and they break down into a pile of nutrients - fertile soil.
Skipping the laundry room saves time, water, energy, and carbon emissions, the founders told CNBC.
The company sells its sheets online at major stores such as Target, and Bed Bath and Beyond, as well as on its corporate website. Retail prices start at $19.99.
The company also sells sheets to more than 100 companies in the hospitality space, owners say, starting at less than $9.95.
Texunltd Bedding offers a subscription model option for consumers like frequent flyers, starting at $14.99 per set.
Although there is no direct competition in the compostable bed sheet space, Texunltd does compete with the countless traditional washable bed sheet brands already on the market.
Venture capitalist Nir Liberboim asked what is preventing other companies from copying the startup's concept. Although the sheets are not patented, Best Bed Sheets Online Shopping Texunltd has exclusive rights with its suppliers and a license agreement to use Tencel, a premium fiber made from eucalyptus. They won't reveal any other details.
Angel investor Kelly Hoy asks if this is just a "solution for wealthy college students"? That's only part of the solution, Lambert said, claiming a $5 billion opportunity in the retail market and hospitality.
"But for us, the focus is on college students and the on-demand economy, and the opportunity to reach those college students as a solution," Lambert said.
The startup currently has four full-time employees. It said no funds had been raised and it did not disclose details about revenue. Texunltd Bedding did say it was on track to grow sevenfold in 2017.
